HILUXURY – Hawaii Luxury Magazine

Unconventional ingredients that tickle the senses

READY TO RAMP UP your next dinner with some adventure? Consider the following exotic edibles to entice the taste buds and excite the palate.

ALLIGATOR

With a taste and texture comparable to white fish (such as cod and tilapia), alligator provides a mild, succulent meat that’s low in fat, calories and cholesterol. Discriminating diners prefer tail meat to rather darker cuts from the reptile’s midsection. Called “alligator wings,” the feet taste similar to frog legs.

BISON

Bison is meat from buffalo, a principal food of the Native Americans who populated the Great Plains. Buffalo are ranched on Kauai, and the meat is served at several restaurants statewide. With a taste “sweeter than beef,” bison is leaner than both beef and skinless chicken, while rich in iron and vitamin B12.

FOIE GRAS

Pronounced “F-WAH GRAH,” the French culinary term identifies a liver delicacy obtained from a specially fattened duck or goose. Its flavor can be described as rich, buttery and delicate. At the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel’s Canoe House on the Big Island of Hawaii, it perfectly accompanies tamari-glazed moi with avocado cream (menu subject to change).

MATSUTAKE MUSHROOM

There are more than 38,000 varieties of fungals, and matsutake is one of the most prized and sought-after mushrooms – namely for its distinct, spicy aromatic fragrance. Tricholoma matsutake grows under trees, forming a symbiotic relationship with the roots of certain fir, pine and hardwood trees. Difficult to harvest, the fungal is pricey. While the main attraction is inhaling the mushroom’s aroma, matsutake has an unusual and delicious flavor.

MIRACLE FRUIT

Flavor takes on a whole different dimension with the miracle berry plant and its small, red fruit. Scrape the pulp off the seed, pop into your mouth for 60 seconds and Synsepalum dulcificum tricks the tongue to taste sour foods as sweet. The “taste trip” lasts for up to an hour and use of the fruit is all the rage with bartenders. Discovered in 1725 in West Africa, miracle fruit has a protein, miraculin, which acts like a sweetness inducer when contacted by the acids in more sour foods. Miracle fruit is grown as a novelty in Hawaii gardens, including the orchard at the Allerton Garden on Kauai.

OPIHI

The Hawaiian word for limpet, opihi (OH-PEE-HEE), is a snail that clamps to the side of wave-swept rocks and hangs on for dear life. Finding opihi – Hawaii has four varieties that exist nowhere else on the planet – is considered dangerous business. Islanders commonly eat two varieties: the yellow foot alinalima, and the black foot makaiauli. Opihi is a prized food at any family luau and to some native Hawaiians considered an aumakua, or family god, protecting one from heavy surf. If you find opihi on the daily special, be sure to appreciate the diligent picker who provided it, while savoring its meat.

OSTRICH

A red meat, ostrich tastes similar to lean beef. While lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than skinless chicken and turkey, it’s high in protein, calcium and iron. In fact, ostrich is a leading source of protein recommended by the American Heart Association. Like all lean meats, ostrich is best enjoyed on the rare side and never cooked more than medium-done.

RABBIT

Proponents of sustainability quantify rabbit as a “green” meat. It produces six times the amount of meat as a steer on the same quantity of food and water. In addition, the prolific, 10-pound doe rabbit can produce 320 pounds of meat in a year, making it among the most productive livestock. Connoisseurs of rabbit claim it has a flavor all its own, calling the all-white meat rich and sweet. Chef Albert Jeyte at the Big Island’s Kilauea Lodge in quaint Volcano Village is known for a delicious hasenpfeffer (braised rabbit); find it occasionally on the menu, along with antelope and bison.

UNI

Pronounced OOH-NEE, it’s the Japanese word for sea urchin. While the reproductive organs of sea urchins are a culinary delicacy worldwide, uni is considered an exceptional pleasure at the sushi bar. Served typically on nigiri (freshly sliced fish atop hand-formed rice) uni is a fresh, yellow mass with a strong, nutty flavor and floral bouquet.

WASABI ROOT

An underground stem or rhizome, Wasabia japonica is esteemed by the Japanese for its flavor profile while promoted by the health food industry for its nutraceutical benefits. On the culinary scene, wasabi appears as a Japanese condiment; it’s ground into a paste to accompany sushi and sashimi. Wasabi has a pungent taste that packs a punch. Be advised that only finer Asian restaurants serve true wasabi paste, as it is pricey. Most often, the green paste on a bento is made from horseradish and food coloring. Wasabi contains isothiocyanates, chemicals with cancer-fighting capability, plus anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects.